Oct 3 (Reuters) - U.S. miner Peabody Energy Corp is in discussions to buy Colombia's top coal exporter Drummond International Llc, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Peabody will acquire 80 percent of Drummond International, leaving the rest of the company in the hands of Japanese trading house Itochu Corp, the Journal reported here, citing the people.

Drummond and Peabody were not immediately available for comment.

Last year, Peabody emerged from Chapter 11 protection a year after it had filed for bankruptcy protection, after a sharp drop in coal prices left it unable to service debt of $10.1 billion. (reut.rs/2xYPsZK) (Reporting by Diptendu Lahiri in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)